So for those of you that were with us last week,
I mentioned that we'll restart our seven weeks each with a different type of meditation.
This was the beginner meditation series that I started back in October.
And really the idea is that you get to experience different types of meditation so that you become familiar with the ones that feel best to you.
And of course my hope is that you latch on to one of these and say,
I want to do this at home and begin your own home meditation practice.
Because the benefits are immense of even just five or ten minutes of meditation in your morning before you get started with your day.
So today's meditation is a visualization practice.
And visualization meditations are used a number of different ways.
There are a few distinct types of visualization meditations.
The first being visualization for mental rehearsal.
So used very commonly by athletes where they picture the outcome that they want and envision themselves,
For instance,
Crossing the finish line if they're a runner or making the basket if they're a basketball player.
There are,
As I said,
Several types.
Another is visualization to strengthen motivation and achieve a goal.
And in this case,
This is one that is used very commonly by life coaches to help you to get to a place of stillness where you can understand what it is that you really want,
But also to be able to really go in,
Identify whatever blocks you might have to achieving that goal and be able to release it so that you can get where you want to go.
And then finally,
The one that we'll be practicing today is a visualization for stress reduction.
So obviously seeing yourself in a place that is calming and peaceful to you,
A place that most frequently is in nature,
Is a very relaxing experience for most people.
And you can do this anywhere on any kind of day.
Here we have this gloomy,
Rainy day.
We're going to the beach.
So hopefully everybody here likes the beach.
So start by getting comfortable,
Whatever feels best to you.
Sitting up,
Lying down,
A chair for those of you who are at home,
Wherever you feel best,
Where you can feel completely relaxed,
Completely supported,
And can come to stillness in your physical body.
So go ahead and let your eyes gently close.
And we're going to and we're going to do a short counting of breaths.
We're going to begin at 10 and count backwards.
Breathing in and breathing out.
10.
Breathing in and breathing out.
9.
Breathing in,
Fill your lungs.
Exhale fully.
8.
Do that again.
Breathing in,
Exhale fully.
7.
Breathing in,
Exhale.
6.
I'll let you do the next ones on your own rhythm.
Release the counting.
And just notice your breath.
And any time your mind wanders,
Just bring it back to your breath.
Bring it back to the feeling of the air moving in your nose,
Down into your lungs.
So today we're taking a nice relaxing trip to the beach.
I'd like you to picture yourself walking across some small dunes leading toward the water.
As you're walking,
You can notice the sand under your feet,
Little tufts of grass peeking up,
Scrubby brush on the scrubby brush on the dunes.
It's very gentle,
Rolling little dunes.
As you continue to walk,
It's less and less of the grass and the little scrub brush.
You begin to feel the ocean breeze blowing across your skin.
It's the perfect temperature for you.
You can notice a little bit of salt tang in the air.
You begin to feel the sand under your toes,
Under your feet.
As you slowly walk onto the biggest,
Beautiful beach,
Wide,
And you've got it all to yourself.
It's a perfect day for you.
The temperature is just so.
The way you like it.
The sand is warm but not too hot.
As you walk along,
You can just feel the warm sand warming your feet.
It's soft,
It's very fine sand.
As you come down closer to the water,
Looking out at the ocean and watching the waves stacking up out in the distance and then just gently rolling in.
It's a nice,
Calm,
Gentle wave.
You walk a little closer,
Feeling the sand where it begins to be wet.
It's a little cooler,
A little more firm under your feet.
The water begins to wash over your feet.
You can stand there at the water's edge,
Letting it gently lap at your toes.
Let's take some big breaths in of that lovely ocean air.
Breathing in all the way down to your belly and sighing it out.
Let's do that a few more times.
That air feels fabulous.
Breathing in and sighing out.
Maybe one more.
As you look out to the horizon past where the waves are starting to stack up way out to where you can just begin to see the curvature of the earth.
It's a lovely deep blue water that sparkles with the light dancing across the surface.
As you're watching out in the distance,
In the distance,
Maybe you see dolphins playing way off in the distance.
You can see them jumping.
Maybe in that moment,
So grounded,
You can almost feel their joy playing out in the ocean.
Their freedom.
It's very peaceful.
Maybe you decide to find a spot and just sit in the sand.
Let it warm your body.
Maybe you lie down because of course you brought your blanket to sit on.
You're still feeling that lovely gentle ocean breeze.
It blows your hair.
It's warm,
Comfortable,
Perfect temperature for you.
As you sit in the sand or lie there,
Can you picture yourself really connected to the earth,
Connected to nature,
Held and supported by the earth and feeling that strong connection,
That comfort.
Can you allow the tension to just drain off?
Maybe notice that the tension between your eyebrows releases.
Maybe notice that your jaw relaxes,
Your shoulders become soft and drop.
Your shoulder blades gently release down your back.
Your lower back releases and lets go.
Your hips,
Feeling the warmth of the sand underneath your bum,
Your thighs,
Where your lower legs touch.
You feel the warmth and the cradling of the sand underneath you completely let go.
Allow yourself to just be here.
No demands,
Just here.
All is well.
Keep breathing.
Keep noticing the feel of the gentle breeze,
Feeling of the sun,
Perfect temperature.
Maybe lift your face toward the sun and just breathe in that energy,
The ocean,
The warm air,
Power of the ocean,
The calm.
Maybe go ahead and begin to allow yourself to come back into the room,
For yourself to begin to feel the cushion you're sitting on or lying on.
Notice your body here in this room.
How does it feel different than when you first sat?
Notice your mind.
Does it feel quieter?
Notice your breathing.
Is it more smooth?
As we finish our meditation today,
Maybe ask yourself a question.
What is my intention for today?
Is it to carry peace with you?
Calm yourself to settle on an intention.
We'll take a deep breath.
You'll secure that intention in your heart and release it.
Please bring your hands to prayer position.
May you be happy.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
And may you know peace.
Namaste.
